You can cancel Xbox Game Pass through your Microsoft account settings in about two minutes, and your access ends on your next billing date

Xbox Game Pass is a subscription you manage through your Microsoft account, not through Xbox itself. Whether you subscribed on console, through the Xbox app on Windows, or on the web, you cancel the same way: by going to your Microsoft account, finding the Game Pass subscription, and turning off automatic renewal. You will keep access until the end of your current billing period, then it stops.

The steps are the same whether you have Game Pass for console, Game Pass for PC, or Game Pass Ultimate. The only difference is what you lose access to — console games, PC games, or both plus Xbox Live and cloud gaming.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com, go to Subscriptions, find Game Pass, and select "Manage subscription" to turn off renewal.
  • You keep playing until your current billing period ends; cancellation does not cut off access when ready.
  • If you subscribed through the Xbox app on console, you can also cancel directly in Settings > Account > Subscriptions, but the Microsoft account method works from any device.
  • Game Pass does not refund unused time, so cancelling mid-month means you lose the rest of that month's access once the period ends.
  • You can resubscribe anytime; your save data and achievements stay in your account even after you cancel.

Cancel through your Microsoft account online

Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with the Microsoft account linked to your Xbox. Click Subscriptions in the left menu. You will see a list of all active subscriptions tied to that account.

Find Xbox Game Pass in the list and click on it. The subscription details page will show your next billing date and current plan (Console, PC, or Ultimate). Click Manage subscription. On the next screen, click Turn off recurring billing. Microsoft will ask you to confirm; click Turn off again. You are done. You will get a confirmation email within a few minutes.

Your Game Pass access continues until the date shown as your "Next billing date." After that date passes, you can no longer play Game Pass games, but your account, achievements, and save data remain in your Microsoft account.

Cancel directly on your Xbox console

If you prefer not to use a web browser, you can cancel from your Xbox. Press the Xbox button to open the guide, then go to Profile & system > Settings > Account > Subscriptions. Find Game Pass and select it. Choose Manage subscription, then Turn off recurring billing. Confirm the cancellation.

This method works the same way as cancelling online — your access ends on your next billing date, not when ready. If you have multiple Xbox consoles on your account, cancelling on one affects the subscription for all of them.

What happens after you cancel

Once your billing period ends, you lose access to all Game Pass games. You cannot play them, even if you own them through Game Pass. Games you purchased separately (not through the subscription) remain playable.

Your Xbox Live Gold subscription, if you have one, is separate from Game Pass and does not cancel automatically. If you have Game Pass Ultimate, which bundles Game Pass with Xbox Live Gold, cancelling Game Pass Ultimate cancels both at the same time.

Your save data, achievements, and game progress stay in your Microsoft account indefinitely. If you resubscribe later, you can pick up where you left off.

If you subscribed through the Xbox app on Windows

Game Pass for PC subscriptions are managed the same way through your Microsoft account online. You can also cancel through the Xbox app itself: open the app, go to Settings (gear icon), select Subscriptions, find Game Pass, and choose Manage. Both routes lead to the same cancellation screen.

Cancelling through the app or through your Microsoft account produces the same result — your subscription ends on your next billing date.

Resubscribing after you cancel

You can restart Game Pass anytime by going back to your Microsoft account or opening the Xbox app and selecting Game Pass. Your old account information is still there. You will not lose achievements, save data, or your friends list.

If you cancelled mid-month, you do not get a refund for the unused time. Game Pass does not prorate charges, so you pay for the full month even if you cancel on day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cancelling Game Pass delete my saves and achievements?

No. Your save data, achievements, and account history stay in your Microsoft account forever. When you resubscribe, everything is still there. The only thing you lose is the ability to play Game Pass games once your subscription ends.

Can I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?

No. Game Pass charges are not refundable, and the subscription does not prorate. If you cancel on day five of a 30-day month, you still lose access on day 30 with no refund for the remaining time.

What if I have Game Pass Ultimate?

Game Pass Ultimate includes Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold, and cloud gaming. Cancelling Game Pass Ultimate cancels all three at once. If you want to keep Xbox Live Gold, you will need to buy it separately after Game Pass Ultimate ends.

Will my games disappear if I cancel?

Games you own outright (purchased, not subscribed) stay on your console and remain playable. Games you only have access to through Game Pass become unplayable once the subscription ends, but they stay installed on your console until you delete them.

How do I know if my cancellation went through?

Check your email for a confirmation message from Microsoft. You can also log back into account.microsoft.com, go to Subscriptions, and verify that Game Pass no longer shows as active or that "Turn off recurring billing" has changed to show the subscription is set to end.